Indian Antiquary Vol 46

SR No.: 032538
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 508
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 431

THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
83
either Naravan-bali Shraddha or Nil-Parvani Shraddha or Tripindi Shraddha is performed in order to propitiate it, and a party of Brahmans is invited to dinner. In case the purvaj is a female, a cocoanut is installed in a gokhalo (a niche) in the wall to represent it, ghi lamps are lighted, and frankincense is burnt every morning before it. On the anniversary of the death of the purvaj & party of gorànis (unwidowed women) is invited to dinner. 1
If a woman is believed to be possessed by a dakan, she is made to hold a shoe in her teeth and is taken to the village boundary, where the shoe is dropped, and a circle is drawn round it with water from a bowl carried by the party. The holding of the shoe by the teeth signifies a vow on the part of the dàkan never to re-enter the person of the exorcised woman.
The following are other occasions for religious dancing, namely during the Nav-ratra holidays (i. e., the festival which commences from the 1st day of the bright half of Ashvin and lasts for nine days); at the time of offering oblations to the village-gods; on the occasion of setting up a pillar in memory of a deceased person, at the time of the Nilotsava* ceremony.
At the time when Randal the wife of Surya is installed and worshipped, a party of young women dance in a circle before the goddess to the accompaniment of garabir,
The eighth day of the bright half of Ashvin is dedicated to the worship of the Matds and devis (minor goddesses), and on this day, bhuvda have to dance each before his favourite màtà. This they have also to do on the 1st day of the bright half of Ashàdh. Bhutàs
are also invited to dance on the Dimàsd day. i. e., the last day of Ashàdh,3
The bhuvà occupies a high place in the esteem of the village people, and commands much respect. In the first place, his position is that of a medium between the gods and goddesses on the one hand and human beings on the other. He is the interpreter of the will of the gods, which he expresses to the public when in a state of trance. Besides he is believed to have power over the evil spirits which are visible to a bhuvà though cannot be seen by ordinary eyes. He is the guardian of the village, his duty, being to protect the people from the malignant influence of the evil spirits.5
In the next place, it is also the office of the bhuva to treat the sick. In cases when medicine is unavailing and where the malady is supposed to be the work of some evil spirit, the opinion of the bhuvà is sought by the relations of the patient and is given by the test of the scrutiny of grain. When the sick person is found to be under the influence of a spirit, the common mode of exorcising is to take an utar to the cemetery. An image of a human being is prepared out of the flour of adad (phaseolus radialus) and is passed round the body of the sick person. The bhu và then holds the image near his heart and stretches himself on a bier with the image on his bosom. In this condition the bhurà is taken to the cemetery, and the evil spirit is believed to be driven by these means out of the patient's body.?
The bhuva distributes doràs (magic threads) and anklets among the people. Such things are coveted for their efficacy in warding off the influence of evil spirits and are often sought after by people for their cattle as well as for
1 The School Master of Limbdi Taluka.
Mr. B. K. Desai. . Nilotsava or Nil-parndoms is a ceremony performed in honour of young man, who has come to an untimely end. The chief part of the ceremony is the performance of the wedding of a bull. calf with a heifer. Sometimes a member of the deceased youth's family is possessed on such an occasion by the spirit of the deceased man and is believed to have then the power of correctly answering questions about future events, etc.-The School Master of Dhank. 3 The School Master of Devalid.
The School Masters of Dhank and Kotda Sangani, 5 The School Master of Sanka
The School Master of Dadvi. 7 The School Masters of Dadvi and Kalki.